Puzzling death of soldier who fought to help others across world

HUNDREDS MOURN EX-PARATROOPER FOUND DEAD IN MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES

- NEAL KEELING

THREE hundred and fifty people gathered to acknowledge a fearless adventurer dedicated to helping those wronged. The funeral of former British paratrooper, Daniel Burke, took place earlier this month.

Mourners came from around the globe to Altrincham crematorium at Dunham Massey to remember a man who, as a volunteer, helped Kurdish fighters take on Isis in Syria and then made multiple trips to Ukraine serving on the frontline against invaders Russian and invaders and working to rescue and evacuate civilians.

The 36-year-old from Wythenshawe did not fall in the midst of battle. He was murdered, in what his family believe was a "professional hit" - and they fear a prime suspect has been allowed to leave Ukraine.

Daniel died on August 11 last year. His body was found in a drain near a shooting range on the outskirts of Zaporizhzhya. He had been shot three times. His remains were not found until September 16, seven weeks after his death, and confirmation that it was Daniel, established through DNA, was not made until December.

The extradition of Daniel's body to the UK only took place in February. Daniel's mother, Diane, told the Manchester Evening News she had been informed by the Ukrainian authorities that a man had been interviewed in connection with Daniel's death. "The man gave three statements to the police allegedly.

He said he killed Dan, and took them to where Dan's body was but they let him go. At that point we hadn't got DNA confirmation that the body was Dan, but regardless of that it was a human being. Why did they let him go - they can't answer that. They didn't even put a stop on his passport."